Chapter 2: Heading North

“Where is he now, I wonder?”

A calm wind blew through the clear, blue sky of the capital, Pireas. It was hard to imagine this kingdom was in a state of civil war just a short while ago. The view spreading out before Helena’s eyes was awash in vigor and tranquility. Overlooking that landscape through her office window, Helena whispered those words.

“You mean Sir Ryoma Mikoshiba... correct?” her aide, Chris Morgan, replied as he stopped leafing through a bundle of documents. “It’s been only ten days since he left the capital. Assuming nothing happened along the way, they should be approaching the fortress city of Epirus, near the peninsula’s isthmus.”

“Yes...” Helena whispered back. “That should be about right.”

Her gaze turned north.

“Do you have regrets?” Chris asked her.

Helena didn’t answer. She had no answer to give.

“Honestly, I feel a bit of guilt toward Sir Mikoshiba, too. I crossed blades with the man once before he left, and he was quite skilled. He hadn’t learned thaumaturgy yet, but his skill and talent as a warrior is beyond unusual. If nothing else, I see now it was more than luck that allowed him to beat Kael Iruna with his own two hands...”

“Even you think so? The one praised as the Divine Lance?” Helena finally cracked a smile at his words, and asked him back curiously.

“In terms of sheer competence, that man is far below me. However...”

“It would be different in a fight to the death.”

“Yes...” Chris nodded somberly. “I would beat him in nine matches out of ten, but in real combat...”

And indeed, Ryoma Mikoshiba claimed the life of Kael Iruna in a duel during the closing stages of the civil war. Kael Iruna, the man who was said to be unmatched when it came to his skill with the sword and mastered the use of martial thaumaturgy. But many people claimed Ryoma’s victory there was but a stroke of luck. Many of Chris’s colleagues held that view regarding Ryoma.

Perhaps it’s just... envy.

Ryoma’s achievements in the civil war were extraordinary. He came to Princess Lupis’s aid when she was in a position of overwhelming disadvantage, and swiftly united the nobles that maintained neutral status until then under her banner. He even performed the truly impressive feat of returning the national hero, Helena Steiner, from retirement back to active duty. He then went on to weaken the influence of general Hodram Albrecht, then head of the knights’ faction.

His skill as a tactician was truly masterful. He established a successful bridgehead at the River Thebes, and during the battle for Heraklion, he swiftly stopped General Albrecht in his attempt to flee the country.

But the only thing all those achievements had earned him was a backwater region that served as a breeding ground for powerful monsters and pirates. An undeveloped land that had served as a penal colony for many years.

Effectively, it had no population. It was officially called a penal colony, but it was more of an execution ground. Any person exiled to that no-man’s land was bound to become prey for monsters.

Queen Lupis lied, claiming this was a promotion meant to honor his achievements, but the only ones who believed that were the citizens of the capital. Anyone who knew the circumstances felt the way Ryoma was treated was unfair.

“But there was no other way it could have played out... Her Majesty ordered it, and objecting to the ruler’s judgment would be...”

Chris picked up on Helena’s state of mind, but he himself endorsed Queen Lupis’s decision. Or rather, he had to endorse it. This wasn’t a feeling that was exclusive to Chris, either — all of the knights and nobles who pledged allegiance to Queen Lupis and Rhoadseria felt the same way.

Lady Helena... I know you owe that man a debt. But still...

The nail that sticks out is beaten down first. Chris thought that was simply natural. In fact, that was how his promotion was withheld for years under General Albrecht’s tyranny. He could understand the bitterness of being denied a fair evaluation all too well, but on the other hand, he had to wonder why such a bright person could mistake his own position. But for the sake of Rhoadseria’s future, they couldn’t afford for Helena to suffer the same fate Ryoma did.

“Between you and me, Her Majesty wishes to give the rank of general to Sir Mikhail. So if anyone were to catch wind of your displeasure, the country’s position may well waver again... Do be careful.”

Helena could only nod at Chris’s advice.

Word of Mikhail’s failures in the civil war had spread out and was common news across the country. Perhaps the fact he was considered one of the greatest swordsmen in the country influenced things. But the rumors circulating among the queen’s associates held that it was some kind of conspiracy by someone who hated the way Mikhail threw his authority around as one of Lupis’s aides.

But while the rumors were a bit exaggerated, there was some truth to them. He did charge in unauthorized over a personal grudge, and the fact he fell captive led directly to Queen Lupis agreeing to pardon Duke Gelhart.

Indeed, Mikhail had to pay for his failures by being subject to house arrest at his estate in the capital until just recently. Normally, anyone who failed this much would never keep an important post for that long.

However, the problem was that Mikhail Vanash was one of the people Queen Lupis trusted the most, and considering her past, it was only natural. During the time General Albrecht held control over all military affairs, Mikhail remained fiercely loyal to Lupis.

He’d been with her through thick and thin, even longer than Meltina Lecter, who stood as the queen’s closest aide. They were so close that a few failures wouldn’t be enough to shake the queen’s trust.

Right now, Queen Lupis needed trusted retainers. The Kingdom of Rhoadseria was about to establish a new regime under its new queen, and it was natural for her to want to bequeath power over the upper echelons of the military to those she trusted.

That wasn’t to say Queen Lupis didn’t trust Helena, of course. At least in terms of her loyalty to the country... But the queen couldn’t help but question Helena’s loyalty to her as a person. It had been over ten years since Helena was forced to retire due to General Albrecht’s plot.

Queen Lupis, who was now in her twenties, was only in her early teens at the time. Perhaps things would have been different if she were an adult when it happened, but she only knew Helena to the extent of a royal child greeting a general in the palace’s corridors or at her parents’ dinner parties. Their relationship was too weak for Helena to honestly swear allegiance to Queen Lupis. Likewise, Lupis wouldn’t easily trust a person she knew so little about.

It was a well-known fact among everyone in the castle that Queen Lupis only went against her own preference and gave Helena the position of general because everyone — knights and nobles alike — admonished her to do so. If Queen Lupis were to sense that Helena’s loyalty toward her was wavering even in the slightest, she would gladly dismiss Helena and make Mikhail Vanash the new general.

Chris’s concerns are justified... It’s too soon for Mikhail to be a general. He’d need to spend ten more years as knight commander to gain that experience.

Helena didn’t particularly dislike or look down upon Mikhail. She didn’t doubt he and Meltina would be the ones to lead Rhoadseria’s military in the future... But that was considering what would come years down the line. She believed that at present, it would be premature to put Mikhail in charge of the country’s military affairs.

Composure, the ability to read into the depth of the situation, knowledge of tactics and strategy. Mikhail lacked all of those requirements at the moment. Driven by a personal grudge and a desire to regain his lost merit, he cast aside his reconnaissance duties and disobeyed orders. Letting a man like him hold the kingdom’s army in the palm of his hand was a nightmare scenario in Helena’s eyes.

Should such a narrow-minded person be given the rank of general, Rhoadseria’s already unstable internal affairs would only be further disturbed, and the surrounding countries might capitalize on this instability to launch an invasion.

Helena sighed, these thoughts weighing on her mind.

To begin with... Is Mikhail Vanash even suitable for the role of general...?

Being a general was indeed a role to which all knights aspired, but one needed to have certain qualities to sit upon that lofty seat...

And yes, those qualities had little to do with a warrior’s ability to wield a weapon in combat. It took understanding of finances, diplomacy and all matters related to the military, and of how all those matters are involved when it comes to war. In a way, one needed to be able to look at things from the perspective of God.

But from what Helena could see, Mikhail lacked those qualities. If he were to learn a bit of prudence he could serve as a fine commander on the battlefield, but he lacked the talent to grasp the happenings on all the possible fronts and grab hold of victory.

Though I suppose in that regard, very few people have that kind of talent...

From what Helena knew, there were only three people currently in Rhoadseria who possessed that sort of outlook. Herself, Ryoma who was now riding north, and that man who was living a life of reclusive retirement in his territory to the north.

We cannot let Mikhail be appointed to the role of general now... The best option would be to train that boy up and make him the general of the kingdom. But I betrayed Ryoma... I chose the kingdom instead... I put him on one end of the scales and the kingdom’s future on the other...

She was well aware of how naive she was. Ryoma didn’t help her out of the kindness of his heart, but it was thanks to him that she got the chance to exact revenge on Hodram. Regret and conflicting feelings swirled within her heart.

But she couldn’t turn her back on the country she was born and raised in. Rhoadseria was teetering on the brink of crisis. From Helena’s perspective, Queen Lupis was too immature to serve as the new queen. She knew too little about governing, diplomacy, economics... The one field she was somewhat good at was military affairs, and even then, she was only passable. She was hardly reliable enough to serve as a ruler.

The causes for her inaptitude to be a queen were all too clear. Lack of experience, and her being far too kindhearted. In terms of sheer knowledge, Lupis was educated as a member of the royal family and knew more than enough to conduct her duties. She had a heart that loved the masses, and so normally one would think she would be a good fit for the role.

And yet, comically enough, she was all too unfit to rule. Her aides could not be called intelligent. The nobles’ faction’s survivors were conspiring against her. And worst of all, her heart was too kind to those she held dear, making her indecisive.

Arguably the worst factor was Queen Lupis’s structure of government, wherein she took power over the countless problems that plagued Rhoadseria as a country. The biggest point of contention was her favoritism toward those she held close to her heart.

Her most extreme decision regarded Mikhail. He was confined to house arrest, but she ignored the objections of those around her. He returned to active duty as a knight within a mere two months. Of course, Queen Lupis would need people she could trust to reform the country. Helena recalled how Meltina used that reasoning to turn down those who stepped up to oppose the decision.

But restoring a man who had piled up failure upon failure after such a short period of time... All the while pushing away the man who contributed so much to the war — albeit a commoner — to the Wortenia Peninsula, made the queen’s judgment questionable to those around her.

Queen Lupis, and Meltina who served her, didn’t seem to understand how this reflected on them.

The civil war ended, and we managed to minimize the weakening of the kingdom’s national power. But our domestic problems haven’t diminished at all... No, if anything, things have gotten worse. What do those two think of that, I wonder...?

Helena frowned and sighed in melancholy again. On the surface, the kingdom seemed to have regained its peace and stability. But Helena only saw that as a brittle castle built of sand. It was in a lull of sorts, and could crumble at any moment. That was Rhoadseria’s current state.

If the queen’s aides were more prudent, perhaps this wouldn’t be the state of affairs. If the queen was more decisive, perhaps it would change. But that wasn’t the reality of things. The wall of social status standing between commoners and the ruling class was simply too thick, and the boy who had achieved so much in this war between nobles and knights was shunned away.

If he were to be one of Lupis’s aides and thus in a position to guide the kingdom, this critical condition may have been averted. Helena did object to him leaving the country, but that was only because she sensed he was worthy of entrusting the kingdom’s future to. But sadly, Queen Lupis feared his transcendent skills and chose to push him away.

Helena heaved a heavy sigh and began reading through her documents. Worrying about things would change little. Helena made her choice. As the general of Rhoadseria, she elected to rebuild this country of her own will. And that was why she said nothing when Queen Lupis decided to undo Mikhail’s house arrest. As general, Helena couldn’t afford to object to the new queen’s decision at this point, when the foundation of her rule hadn’t solidified yet. If she did, it would split the country in two.

“Reorganizing the country is more important now,” Chris said. “As unjust as it may be, we can’t exchange this country’s future for anything. And no matter what land he’s been given, a commoner was promoted to noble status. I won’t deny Her Majesty broke the promise she made to Ryoma at the beginning, but that was unavoidable, in the end.”

Helena felt a hint of fear in Chris’ words.

He’s got a strong sense of duty... And the greater one’s sense of duty, the more they expect others to stand by their own promises...

It was likely that the only ones to understand Helena’s apprehensions were the handful of people working under Count Bergstone, who interacted with Ryoma directly.

Casting him out into that peninsula is likely the same as unleashing a viper into the wild...

Helena could vividly imagine the anger and hatred crackling in Ryoma’s heart like flames. They writhed under the surface, as slowly and certainly as a current of magma. Having spent many days plotting revenge for her dead husband and daughter, she could sensitively pick up on Ryoma’s hidden intentions, try as he might to hide them.

His hatred for those in power... Especially for rulers and those in privileged positions... It’s something I’m all too familiar with.

While Queen Lupis’s decision wasn’t an admirable choice in the slightest, it didn’t really call for that much criticism. In this Earth, social immobility was a common, iron-clad fact, and so it was only natural for those in high positions to go forward with their choices unchallenged. But Princess Lupis got one thing critically wrong: the procedure.

She could have simply explained things ahead of time and received Ryoma’s approval. Ryoma was hardly a man who couldn’t be reasoned with, and given an honest, proper explanation, he would understand her point of view.

But the difference in class between a noble and a commoner reared its ugly head. Perhaps she didn’t do it consciously, but her attitude eloquently declared that her intention was “Shut up and listen to what the queen says, commoner.”

True, trampling over a commoner while hiding behind one’s social status wasn’t uncommon in this world, but Queen Lupis neglected to realize that those trampled won’t always bear that humiliation silently.

I forgave them... But that boy...

Having been born a commoner, Helena went through many bitter frustrations during her youth. But she simply used that frustration as a springboard to reach the position of general through her work as a knight, climbing to the top. Quite a few people resigned at the time, fearing Helena’s retaliation for those acts.

Helena never did get even with them, though. But that was only because Helena Steiner was a citizen of this kingdom. She restrained herself, thinking it would be wrong to lash out against her fellow countrymen.

But what would a person with no attachment to Rhoadseria do? Their heart would likely simply shake with humiliation and anger, believing the day they would exact revenge would surely come...

Will I eventually have to fight that boy...?

Each time that question crossed her mind, Helena shivered. Of course, she had no intention of raising her voice in warning of that situation, nor did she intend to advise Queen Lupis to seek reconciliation.

Should Ryoma come for revenge, she would simply lock blades with him silently. She knew his anger was justified.

Five years...

The words rose in her mind. It was what Ryoma said the night before he left Pireas, at his farewell banquet.

This country has little time left...

The former Duke Gelhart was demoted to viscount, and had his territory changed from the grain producing region of Heraklion to an undeveloped land. Compared to when he controlled Heraklion, he was greatly lowered in status, but since his personal fortune remained untouched, he was still financially stable. He would surely regain his influence at some point.

And indeed, rumor had it that in the three months since the civil war ended, Viscount Gelhart had already begun to gather the remnants of the nobles’ faction that had evaded punishment. Most of them were people that were driven out of their posts due to Count Bergstone and the other neutral faction nobles being promoted. They were plotting the nobles’ faction’s resurgence, with Viscount Gelhart as their leader.

And of course, this reformed nobles’ faction used Princess Radine as its nominal figurehead. Viscount Gelhart’s pardoning meant that Radine was officially recognized as a member of the royal family. It was only natural, since Queen Lupis accepted his explanation. But of course, the people who fought to prove the queen’s legitimacy on the battlefield couldn’t accept this state of affairs that easily.

Queen Lupis is even more badly cornered than before...

On the surface, the public order in the kingdom had improved and the markets were lively. In terms of the citizens’ quality of life, the kingdom was certainly being rebuilt. But that was only a deceptive peace.

It was as if the country was ill and refused the surgery that would heal it, and was only functioning due to medicine suppressing the symptoms. On the outside, everything looked fine, yet the disease was slowly but surely ravaging the inside of the patient’s body.

The problem was that despite the fact that Queen Lupis won the civil war, she couldn’t execute Furio Gelhart. Hodram, who was married to a Tarjan noble, had died. This left Rhoadseria and Tarja in a state of tension. They weren’t in a state of war with Xarooda or Myest, but they were still diplomatically distant. Hostilities might break out with those two kingdoms at the slightest trigger. And on top of all that, there was a faction within the kingdom that plotted to drag Queen Lupis off her throne.

Ryoma estimated the amount of time Queen Lupis had left while considering all of those factors, and shared it with Helena. Five years... Or rather, five years at most. Things could very well fall apart even sooner. In fact, given the situation, it seemed very likely they would fall apart much earlier than five years.

“If you don’t prepare accordingly in these five years, Queen Lupis might die... Though I suppose you know that already. But I’m telling you this, just in case... I did practically force you to be a part of this, after all.”

Ryoma said that with a smile.

The moment she saw that smile, Helena realized he’d completely given up on Queen Lupis. He spoke purely out of concern for Helena... Warning her to not lead herself to destruction by obeying a queen that had no future.

“Five years...” The words slipped from her lips.

“Hmm? Did you say something?” Chris asked back, looking at her quizzically.

“No, it’s nothing... Could you hand me the next document?”

Chris handed her the next piece of paperwork as requested. She looked through it quickly and stamped it with her seal. There wasn’t much time until the day Ryoma predicted would come.

Ryoma... Live on... And then, once again...

Helena prayed from the bottom of her heart for the well-being of this mature boy who was young enough to be her grandson. Hoping they would someday meet again...

The sun shone brightly in the sky, illuminating the people walking across the highway. The scars left by the Rhoadserian Civil War were still vividly felt, and the circulation of goods was still inhibited in the country. But now, three months after the fighting had concluded, peaceful life was finally returning to Rhoadseria’s civilians.

Among the people traveling along the highway heading north was a group holding up a particular banner. It was made from a black-dyed fabric. A flag of a double-headed serpent with gold and silver scales coiled around a sword. The serpent’s crimson eyes seemed to glare at its surroundings.

Upon accepting the title of baron, Ryoma Mikoshiba had this flag made by one of Pireas’s craftsmen, dubbing it the crest of the newly formed House Mikoshiba. The sword stood as a symbol of strength while the serpent stood for cunning and wisdom. A symbol that accurately signified Ryoma Mikoshiba’s nature.

Before Ryoma’s eyes was a gently sloping hilly region. Spreading out from both sides of the road were orchards, with the commoners who populated the nearby villages laboring to tend to them.

“Boy! We should be going over the ridge soon!” Lione turned around and called out to him, her crimson hair flapping mildly in the breeze.

“Right, finally... Not gonna lie, my butt’s been starting to hurt,” Ryoma said, raising his hips slightly to rub his aching behind.

“Hell, the nobles of the world would bury their heads in shame if they saw a baron like ya do that,” Lione said teasingly, a sarcastic smile on her lips.

Ryoma knew full well how shameful his conduct was. By contrast, Laura, who was riding beside him, looked at him with genuine concern.

“My, Master Ryoma... It must hurt. Bear it just a while longer, yes? I’ll apply ointment to it once we find lodging...”

Before Ryoma could answer, Sara cut into their exchange.

“No, you should not have to wait that long. If you’d like, you could move to the carriage. If you’re inside there, we can apply ointment, and I think you’d be able to travel much more comfortably.”

Apparently, the Malfist twins were in the middle of some climactic battle for Ryoma’s affection.

“E-Erm... I’ll be fine, you two. Gotta get used to riding a horse...” Ryoma replied, putting up with the pain.

Honestly, moving to the carriage is a bit tempting...

Up until now, Ryoma had no experience in horseback riding. In Japan, the only means of transportation typically used except for going on foot were bicycles and cars. Depending on the distance, one might need to take a train or an airplane, but those were all much more convenient compared to a horse.

A car’s seat was, of course, quite convenient, but even a bicycle’s saddle was much more pleasant than a horse’s. Being a child of the modern age, Ryoma’s behind was chaffed from sitting atop the saddle for a long time.

When they pursued Hodram, he shared the saddle with one of the Malfist sisters, so his knowledge of how to ride a horse was very basic and superficial. Any pretensions he had on the matter of horseback riding were completely gone after this ten-day journey on horseback.

He couldn’t give in to temptation and move to the carriage here, though. After all, that would bring him into a situation where he’d have to let the Malfist sisters rub ointment over his exposed bottom...

And if I say ‘no’ the wrong way, they might start crying on me...

Ryoma actually made them cry over refusing their help once or twice when they first met. The Malfist sisters fundamentally placed their service to Ryoma above all. In a way they doubled as both maids and bodyguards, and so they often functioned as the former. They helped him change his clothes, cooked his food and fed him; they essentially tended to his every need.

Indeed, some nobles in this world did have maids help them with any and all affairs. Depending on their situation, they had their servants and maids help them with more personal matters. At times, this meant helping with the bedpans of the ill and the aged, but oftentimes — particularly in this case — those personal affairs took on a more sexual interpretation.

And so, Ryoma declining their service in this situation was a blow to the sisters’ purpose in being. They felt as if their very presence with him was being denied. It took him a full day and night to convince them this wasn’t the case last time, and ever since then, there hadn’t been any problems.

But recently, the sisters’ attitude had shifted. Ryoma’s becoming baron made them change their thinking, believing they now needed to serve him as maids would serve a noble.

Well, they’re technically not wrong...

He might’ve been the lowest rank of noble possible, but a baron was still without a doubt a member of the aristocracy. And as such, he was supposed to expect the living standards and deference worthy of his station.

In the end, Ryoma could only chalk it up to a difference in culture.

“Well, just bear with it a bit longer! Once we’re past this ridge, Epirus’s castle walls should come into view,” Lione said with an uncharacteristically cheery voice, stirring everyone as she felt the peculiar direction the conversation was heading.

The group of men led by Lione included the thirty-three members of Lione and Boltz’s mercenary group, the Crimson Lions, as well as Gennou, Sakuya, the Malfist sisters and Ryoma. They were too large a group to handle typical mercenary work, but too small to take control of a territory.

I’ll need people who can handle paperwork...

The only people Ryoma could see around them had their specialties overwhelmingly tilted toward military and martial matters. They might be good for filing paperwork, but Ryoma intended to manage a country, and the current situation was unsatisfactory for those purposes.

Well, we can do that little by little... I won’t be able to make the country I want overnight.

Ryoma whispered to himself with a small sigh and fixed his gaze forward, his heart burning with new resolve.

I will survive! And Lupis...! I will get back at you for this... I’ll see to it you pay for everything, with interest...

Ryoma swore in his heart as he watched Epirus’s walls gradually grow in size as he approached.

The citadel city of Epirus. The fulcrum of Rhoadseria’s northern territories, located at the root of the Wortenia Peninsula.

The city was surrounded by a deep moat and stone walls standing dozens of meters tall. It had three entrances. Two to the east and west, and one to the north. To the south stood the regional governor’s — Count Salzberg’s — castle.

All of Rhoadseria’s and Xarooda’s citizens knew this city stood as the stalwart rampart defending the kingdom. Xarooda had attempted invasion from the west, but the fortress had successfully pushed them back, which helped cement its reputation.

But all of the city’s denizens understood that the city they lived in was the lid to a crucible containing nothing but chaos...

♱

Ryoma was now resting at an inn, located opposite of Epirus’s main street. Ryoma’s group had finally concluded the formalities, and had at last reached what could be considered the entrance to the Wortenia Peninsula.

As Ryoma was resting in his room, he held a meeting with the rest of their primary members, led by Boltz. Its purpose was to decide their future policy.

“I expected the defenses would be heavy given this is a border town, but they’re doing more than just trying to defend against Xarooda.” Boltz shrugged.

His vast experience as a mercenary was showing its worth. While everyone else had been taking a break in their rooms at the inn, he walked around the town’s guild, gathering information.

“A breakwater to make sure the monsters don’t flock into Rhoadseria?” Ryoma asked.

Boltz nodded.

“I heard a lot of rumors about the Wortenia Peninsula during my time as a mercenary, but this is a much more difficult land than I thought...” he said. “We’ll have to really put in some effort if we’re to make something of this place.”

His words were met with small nods from everyone. They knew it would be a difficult land since the time they were back in the capital.

“That would mean we should prioritize our preparations in this city... Right?” Ryoma said.

Right now, what he needed was more detailed information about the peninsula and about this city, Epirus. He knew that walking into Wortenia in their present state would likely be suicide. It’d simply land them in the stomachs of monsters.

Ryoma and his group were lacking in everything, from equipment to topographical information. Apparently, the Wortenia Peninsula was dotted with pirate enclaves and demi-human villages. The key word was “apparently,” as there was no concrete proof of their existence. Even if there were such proof, it wasn’t as if they could barter with the pirates and demi-humans for food and water, anyway.

As such, food and water was their biggest concern, and until they formed a self-sufficient city, they would need to rely on Epirus for a stream of supplies. They’d need to find a company that would help them in that regard.

True to its name as the Fulcrum of the North, Epirus was dotted with countless firms of different sizes. Given the scope of their upcoming operations, they’d need a company that sells wholesale, while also not having too many attachments to the governor. There was a chance the governor might try to interfere with the trade.

“We’ll have to pick carefully from the companies here in Epirus,” Lione said.

“It’s like you said, Sis. If we just deal with any company we find, we could end up with the rug pulled from under our feet when we head deeper into the peninsula.”

They had already assessed the situation thoroughly. Every one of them was doing their best to ensure they survived.

“We will search for the right company...” Laura quickly allotted the two of them a role. “For now, we’ll check which businesses deal predominantly with commoners. Will that be acceptable?”

“Yeah, please do.”

This was proof that Laura had a solid grasp on the situation. Sara likewise nodded quietly, showing she understood just as well.

“Then Boltz, you handle the guild. We need as much detailed information on Wortenia as you can get. Especially the positions of any rivers or lakes, and everything you can gather about what types of monsters are breeding there.”

“Understood, lad! Leave it to me!” Boltz drummed a fist against his chest assuredly.

Ryoma nodded, and this time turned to Gennou. No one was more suitable than he and Sakuya for the task of gathering information. Upon noticing Ryoma’s gaze, Gennou’s eyes glinted sharply.

“Gennou, I need you to investigate this city’s influential figures, namely Count Salzberg. Their family structures, their weaknesses, their strengths, everything! We’ll have to make this city our base for a while.”

“I see, milord... Having the influential figures of this city on our side would be ideal,” Gennou replied.

Ryoma’s expression became pleased.

“But don’t do anything that would make you stand out. Be especially careful around Count Salzberg. From what Lady Helena told me, he’s got a very... particular personality. The worst thing we can do is accidentally antagonize him.”

“Consider it done...” Gennou bowed his head reverently. “Do not worry, milord, by tomorrow I will have answered your expectations.”

“Boy... You want me to handle the mercenaries?” Lione asked.

Ryoma turned his gaze toward her. With Gennou and Sakuya investigating the town’s influential figures, Ryoma and Lione were the only ones left without a task. Lione knew her role well enough, though.

“Yeah... But not in the way you think. I want you to pick out the really skilled people, and do it behind the scenes... Honestly, now would be a good time to build up our numbers, but given that we can’t expect any income right now, that will be difficult...”

“Should I tell ’em we’re looking for knights, then?” Lione asked. “Saying we’re looking for knight candidates attracts a different crowd compared to if we say we’re looking for mercenaries.”

Ryoma shook his head. It was equivalent to looking for full time workers as compared to part time workers.

“No... Of course, in the future they might end up being our knights, but for now keep them employed as mercenaries. We should pick up and keep whoever looks worthwhile among them. And that way, we can filter out the problematic ones... See?”

“Problematic ones...?” Sara repeated the words quizzically.

“Like spies sent in from the governors of the neighboring countries,” Ryoma answered with a light smile.

“Those would be annoying,” Lione said in a teasing tone. “If we’re hiring some nobodies we’ve never heard of before, why not hire groups like Arand’s and Gran’s? They have a great deal of respect for ya.”

Ryoma met those words with a smile. He was close enough to those people that, if it weren’t for Queen Lupis and her foul tricks, they all considered forming a new mercenary group led by Ryoma. Taking them along would usually have been the obvious course of action, but Ryoma didn’t choose to do so.

“Well, I considered that... But I figured that since I’ll be needing trustworthy people later on, I’d rather squander people I’m not as attached to... You know?”

“By the gods, you’re such a frightening, evil man...” Lione cracked a thin, dark smirk.

“Investing in the name of a better future... I guess that about sums it up.” Ryoma shrugged.

It would take years for this groundwork to begin bearing fruit. In a sense, this was something of a wasteful choice on Ryoma’s behalf, given that his life depended on the success of his governing over the Wortenia Peninsula. But on the other hand, preparing for what he was to do in the event his groundwork paid off was also an apt hand to play.

Whether this groundwork pays off or not is all a gamble that hinges on me being able to make this peninsula my land.

Ryoma’s mind wandered to Gran and the others, who were now spread out across the continent. Lione was likely thinking the same thing. After a long moment of silence, Lione parted her lips to speak again.

“Well, I guess that’s enough about Gran... So, I should hire them as mercenaries.”

“Yeah, for the time being. We might not have money to pay any salaries later down the line, after all.”

He honestly wanted to hire them as knights, but given how unclear their outlook was, employing them for the long term was too dangerous. They were better off with mercenaries that would simply stop working for them once they ran out of money, than with knights that might turn against them once things go sour.

“You might be right... Maybe refrain from hiring any more knights until the peninsula’s development is underway.” Being the leader of a mercenary group gave Lione some insight into how running an army is a high-cost, low-return endeavor. “Well, anyway, I’ll handle it! How many people are ya gonna need, though? The skilled ones cost a pretty penny.”

Skilled mercenaries requested higher wages, of course. Lione wouldn’t be able to progress things without knowing what their budget was. Faced with her question, Ryoma turned his gaze to Laura. He’d let the Malfist sisters handle the tasks of depositing and withdrawing his money.

“We have roughly four thousand gold coins on hand,” she replied fluently. “That’s Master Ryoma’s personal wealth. Besides that, we have the five thousand gold coins promised to us by Queen Lupis, but we’re set to receive those at a later date.”

“Well, hell, I didn’t know you were rich!” Lione said, her eyes wide in surprise.

Her surprise was understandable. Four thousand gold coins was the wealth of a middle-tier noble. There were a few reasons as to why Ryoma had amassed such a fortune. First, there was the money and jewels he stole from the slaver Azoth when he rescued the Malfist sisters. That accounted for most of his funds, but there was also the money he earned as an adventurer and the reward he received for his activities in the civil war.

And the five thousand gold coins the Kingdom of Rhoadseria was to deliver to them in development funds was added to this. It gave the illusion that his financial situation was secure, but there were many problems to address.

“But we’ll be starting by building up a village, and it’ll be in an undeveloped, unpopulated land...”

It wasn’t outright impossible to develop a wasteland from the ground up in this world, but that was assuming it was only an undeveloped frontier, and not a blasted hell of a land.

“We’ll need a bit more leeway than this, eh?” Lione asked.

Ryoma nodded. It would take years from the point in time they built a stronghold in the peninsula until their income stabilized, and until then, these nine thousand gold pieces were Ryoma’s lifeline. Honestly, it didn’t matter how economical they might be. It wouldn’t be enough.

“Then how about five hundred golds?” Lione suggested. “With that I’ll get enough people for a year... About two hundred or so men. That should give us some leeway for buying water and provisions, right?”

“Yes, I think we’ll be able to manage that much.” Laura nodded.

“Roger, roger.” Lione nodded vigorously. “Ya alright with that, boy?”

Having led a mercenary group for years, Lione was capable of discerning a mercenary’s skill with ease. She was a perfect fit for this role. Except...

Two hundred men... So two hundred and thirty, including us...

How skilled the men they found would be could greatly influence their war potential, but compared to this Earth’s logic, this was the number of men usually affiliated with a count’s household. Except, those numbers normally consisted of knights, and a normal noble would be able to conscript their subjects in order to bolster their army.

They both held the same title of count, but Count Salzberg was in charge of defending a border and Count Bergstone was situated at the capital. The number of knights serving them wasn’t the same, of course.

Thinking of it from that perspective, Ryoma’s current number of men was certainly small. Perhaps it could be seen as more than enough of a military force given his status as a newly-formed baron household, but since he didn’t have any people to conscript, his overall number of troops was quite clearly lacking.

The question is whether we can control Wortenia with all those powerful monsters crawling around... That’ll probably be a difficult task.

Truth be told, if this peninsula could be controlled with a force of this size, one noble or another would have probably tried to do so already. After all, from just a geographical standpoint, the region was overflowing with benefits. A cursory look at the map made it blatantly obvious.

Being a peninsula, Wortenia obviously had access to the sea from the north, east and west, with the only inland route being to the south. That route was also a winding, serpentine road strewn with perilous cliffs and forests. It didn’t give the impression of a solitary island, but upon closer examination, this no-man’s land would be revealed to have a mountain of treasure.

Foolish as the nobles may have been, it was hard to believe no one ever tried to make this region their own. And indeed, someone else seemed to have reached the same conclusion as Ryoma.

“But I do believe we’re a touch too understaffed to challenge that cursed land...” Boltz, who had kept quiet until now, parted his lips to speak. “It’s obvious our funds are not bottomless, but what do you have in mind, lad?”

He led a mercenary group alongside Lione, so it was perhaps natural he would hold these doubts. Ryoma himself wasn’t confident that his force of a bit over two hundred would be enough.

He’s right, but even if we want to gather more troops, we can’t do it now. We need more detailed information to craft a plan...

In strategy games, soldiers were but a number, a statistic on the screen, but in reality things were different. They need food, slumber, and clothes. The important part was knowing how to gauge the right number. Ryoma took a deep breath and put his thoughts into words.

“Yes, I agree with your concerns, Boltz. We may need more people... But Lione, keep gathering people like we decided. I’ll observe the situation and think of something we can do.”

He was only pushing the problem to a later date, but his conclusion was that there was no point thinking about it right now.

“Understood, lad... My apologies for speaking out of line.” Boltz lowered his head, sensing the conflict in Ryoma’s heart.

“Roger that, I’ll see to it!” Lione tapped her chest with her fist.

This left Ryoma as the only one without a task.

“What do you intend to do, Master Ryoma?” Sara asked.

“Me...? I think I’ll go meet Count Salzberg,” Ryoma said.

“Epirus’s governor? Why bother meeting with him...? Won’t he just look down on ya for being a commoner upstart?” Lione said, with almost everyone else nodding in agreement.

Her suspicions were well-founded. It was Queen Lupis’s betrayal that got them into this predicament, after all, and so being suspicious of the nobility felt like the natural response.

Gennou, however, seemed to be in agreement with Ryoma.

“Ah... A fine idea,” he said.

“What do you mean, Gennou?” Lione hadn’t caught on to the reason yet.

Her gaze fixed on the old man. Though it wasn’t an antagonistic glare; merely a curious, questioning look. This was where Lione excelled. She was poised to hear and understand the other party’s opinion.

It may seem like a simple trait to have, but it was actually quite hard to abide by it in practice. It was something the nobles of this world lacked as a whole, with Rhoadseria’s aristocracy being the most striking example.

“True, the nobles of this land are rotten for the most part. We’ve seen that well enough... And indeed, just as you suspect, Lione, it is quite probable Count Salzberg is up to no good. But the reality of things is that Epirus neighbors Wortenia, and so meeting with its governor would be wise... And conversely, should milord not give his greetings, the count may hold it against him and attempt to harass him for it.”

The idea of the count using that as a pretense to treat them unfairly felt vividly real to Lione. After all, if they were to survive in the peninsula, they would have to depend on Epirus for provisions. If they drew the governor’s ire for whatever reason, he could pressure local companies, and that would increase their expenses.

“Aye... I can see that happening.”

“Right? Nobles have a way of being very fragile about their sense of pride...”

Noble pride may have had a nice ring to it, but it was actually haughtiness and arrogance for the most part. They were blind to their own lack of respect toward others, while exceedingly keen when others were insolent toward them. Nobles of that type were the overwhelming majority. Everyone seemed satisfied with Gennou’s explanation.

“Then it would be better if Master Ryoma approaches him first. That way the count won’t have an excuse he can leverage against him,” Sara concluded.

“I agree with Sara. Meeting him should give us a better idea of what kind of person we’ll be dealing with. He may actually turn out to be in our favor.”

Ryoma nodded at the Malfist sisters’ advice.

“Yeah, for now I’ll just meet him and see what kind of man he is. It should help me gauge if he’s a foe or a friend to us...”

And then there’s Lady Helena’s warning... Beware Thomas Salzberg, the governor of Epirus and head of the ten noble houses of the north...

Helena told him this before he left Pireas, during their final meeting. When Ryoma asked her why he should be wary of him, she simply shook her head in silence.

She probably wanted me to confirm that for myself, without any prejudice...

Ryoma looked around the table, fixing his gaze on everyone, who nodded back at him. They all knew from painful experience that nobles and royalty weren’t worthy of trust. That didn’t mean that all nobles without exception were suspicious. The only way to find out was to confirm whether they could be trusted with one’s own two eyes...

Well, the same holds true for us, I guess... Gennou Igasaki... It’s about time we clear this out. And we need to decide how to deal with that man...

Gennou was an odd one. His granddaughter, Sakuya, was sent to assassinate him, but for some reason he decided to switch to Ryoma’s side. By now, they both served Ryoma alongside Boltz and Lione.

But one wouldn’t make that kind of choice out of whimsy. With that thought in mind, Ryoma cast a meaningful gaze in Gennou’s direction.

“Milord... Is there anything you would like to tell me?”

Everyone left the room with the talk concluded, but Gennou had returned to the room on his own. Apparently he felt Ryoma’s gaze.

“Yeah... I’d like to ask you something.” Ryoma showed no regard for the fact that Gennou opened the door without so much as a single sound.

Hmm... So he felt my presence...? Perhaps my skills have dulled... Or not, it’s his abilities at play.

Gennou had seen many ruthless battles in his youth. He may have distanced himself somewhat from field work since joining the Elder Council, but his assassination skills were still at the top of his clan.

He really is the one the elders of the first generation sought...

Gennou’s gaze was fixed on Ryoma.

“What is it, Gennou?” Ryoma asked.

He picked up on the intense emotions in Gennou’s eyes. He turned a puzzled expression at the old man standing stock still at his room’s entrance.

“Ah, my apologies, milord...” Gennou lowered his head reverently. “Well? Do you need me for anything?”

“Ah, not much... Just a little request... Except I need to ask you something before that request, so that’s why I wanted for you to come back in.”

“Aye, understood, milord. Ask me anything you will.”

Ryoma called him back after breaking up the group, so it was apparently something he didn’t want Boltz, Lione and the others to hear.

It’s likely regarding me and Sakuya... He may have confidence in our work, but he can’t fully trust us.

Gennou swiftly picked up on Ryoma’s doubts. They did initially come to assassinate him, after all, and he’d been using them since without executing them. This was a show of Ryoma’s tolerance, of course, but at the same time he always remained slightly reserved around Gennou and Sakuya. It was proof he didn’t fully trust them.

But that’s only natural... After all, I did not disclose everything to him...

It was a relationship where neither of them could fully trust the other. That didn’t mean they were necessarily suspicious, but rather that they adopted a wait-and-see approach toward each other. But that could very well change depending on Ryoma’s approach.

Do I tell him everything now...? No... It’s too early. I can’t entrust the clan’s future to this man on my own discretion.

Ryoma Mikoshiba’s skill as a warrior was top class, and he was a skilled commander and a talented tactician. He was also a tolerant leader. But that wasn’t enough to make him worthy of being the Igasaki clan’s master.

The clan’s future hinged upon this decision. Gennou was understandably cautious and wary.

“I have just one question, Gennou... Why do you follow me?”

He’d apparently read Gennou’s emotions and cut straight to the heart of the matter. The question touched on what Gennou kept hidden, and he could only meet Ryoma’s query with silence.

“Can’t tell me yet...?” Ryoma asked.

Gennou felt Ryoma’s eyes on him.

I don’t want to lie to him...

That emotion tightened Gennou’s lips. A shinobi could lie as much as necessary, but that wouldn’t earn him any real trust. And so his only choice was neither denial nor affirmation, but to simply remain quiet.

After a long moment of silence, Ryoma shrugged in resignation.

“Fine,” he said. “You probably have your reasons. I won’t force you.”

Gennou’s expression filled with surprise.

“Are you sure it’s fine...?” the old man asked.

“Of course not. But I don’t think you’re up to anything malicious... You’re being pretty secretive, but I figure I’ll ask you again when the time seems right.”

Ryoma could vividly sense that Gennou was serving him out of some sort of purpose, and not a malicious one. If Ryoma felt even a hint of ill-will from Gennou, he would have disposed of him and Sakuya without any mercy. Even if they did have Japanese blood running through their veins.

That’s fine. He’ll tell me himself once the time comes. For now, we need to deal with that matter...

Ryoma switched gears. He needed every skilled person possible to lend him help.

“By the way, Gennou. I want to ask your clan to handle a task. Can I hire their services?”

“Why... Of course you can, milord.”

Gennou regained his cool after Ryoma’s surprising words. At the same time, his mind began coolly analyzing what Ryoma was going to ask.

He’s asking for my clan... Is it because he doesn’t want to move me and Sakuya away...? Then, whatever work it is, it’s not around Epirus... It can’t be! Does he want us to assassinate Lupis Rhoadserians?!

That was the most probable option right now, given Ryoma’s personality. He didn’t know Ryoma for that long, but Gennou already had a good grasp of his character.

He never forgets a favor, but at the same time, he never lets go of his grudges.

Considering Queen Lupis maliciously forced him into governing the frontier land of Wortenia, it would come as no surprise if Ryoma would resort to having her assassinated. And yet, Gennou ultimately denied that conclusion.

No... That isn’t the case here... He would gain too little by doing that now...

It might have been an option when they were still in the capital, but the peninsula was now right before their eyes. At this point, going to the trouble of killing Queen Lupis would achieve little.

Killing her now would just plunge the kingdom into chaos... Choosing to do that now, when he doesn’t have a base of operations yet, would be reckless... In which case...

It would take several years to develop the Wortenia Peninsula into a proper territory. Throwing the kingdom into a state of turmoil would make Ryoma lose the precious time he needed to build up this region. Ryoma was acutely aware of everything that was relevant to his interests, and would never make that kind of choice.

But what Ryoma said next was a most unexpected name.

“I want you to kill someone. His name is Wallace... Wallace Heinkel, the guildmaster of the port town of Pherzaad. And also his family.”

Gennou found himself tilting his head questioningly. He had naturally heard of the man who duped his current master. Their group had mentioned him rather often, as well. But by now, the business surrounding him was concluded.

“You look surprised,” Ryoma said. “Don’t understand my reasoning?”

“Yes...” Gennou nodded honestly. “Queen Lupis’s influence should have proved your innocence... Why kill him now?”

Is it just a plain desire for revenge...?

If so, Gennou’s high opinion of Ryoma would decrease significantly. The desire to get back at a man who set him up for a fall was understandable, but they were pressed for every coin they could save at the moment. A man who squandered his funds away on a personal desire for revenge had no future... And wasn’t worthy of being entrusted with the clan’s future.

But Gennou’s anxiety was misplaced.

“True, thanks to Lupis’s influence Lione and I are proven innocent. But that only means Lupis could render us guilty again, right...? And Wallace wasn’t particularly punished by this whole affair, either. He’s still working as Pherzaad’s guildmaster.”

That made Gennou realize Ryoma’s concerns to some extent.

“You suspect Wallace Heinkel might try to bare his fangs against us again?”

“He duped us once already. It’s only natural we’d hold a grudge against him, and he knows that... In which case, we’re a nuisance to him. A threat. At worst, he could join forces with Lupis to set us up again.”

Those words made Gennou consider that option as well. The Queen of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria and a guildmaster. That would indeed be a dangerous force if they allied with each other.

“So you want to weed out this threat before it has a chance to sprout,” Gennou concluded.

Ryoma nodded silently.

“Understood... I’ll have the clan send people over.”

“Thanks... I considered just asking you and Sakuya, but it’s too far away right now.”

A round trip from Epirus to Pherzaad would take a month and a half. Along with the time it would take them to prepare for the assassination, it would take a full two months. But since taking possession of the peninsula took precedence over all else right now, having Gennou and Sakuya gone for that long wasn’t a possibility.

“So about the pay... How much will it be?” Ryoma asked.

Gennou Igasaki served Ryoma personally, but the same wasn’t true for the Igasaki clan. Hiring them naturally meant he was going to pay them for their service. Gennou, however, simply shook his head gently.

“Nay... There is no need, milord.”

Ryoma’s right brow furrowed at those words.

“Are you serious? No... There must be some kind of condition here.”

A guildmaster was a serious target. It was the same as asking to have an influential noble assassinated. Normally it would cost well over a hundred or two hundred gold coins, but Gennou claimed there was no need for payment.

I suppose they might not want money, but something else...

Ryoma knew that taking the words “there’s no need for payment” at face value would only lead to a swift death on this Earth.

“Yes... We only ask for one thing.”

Figures...

It was only natural Gennou would bring up his terms now, but the question was what they would mean for Ryoma.

I guess I’ll have to ask first before I decide whether to say yes or no...

“Sure. What is it?” Ryoma said calmly, after a few seconds of silent contemplation.

On that day, Gennou and Ryoma sealed a pact. But the only one apart from them to know its contents was the pale moon, shining in the sky.

Chapter 3: Leader of the North

A single carriage clicked against the flagstones as it rolled forward. It eventually stopped in front of the entrance to Count Salzberg’s estate, located in the south side of Epirus. The sun had already set and the area was lit up by candlelight.

The black two-horse carriage was only barely adorned on the outside with the most minimal decorations. It wasn’t shabby or simple, as its exterior was certainly polished and well-maintained, but it certainly couldn’t be called magnificent.

In a word, it seemed to prioritize functionality over appearances. And frankly speaking, it didn’t seem like the kind of vehicle a noble might use. But its owner didn’t much care for that. With the task of developing the Wortenia Peninsula ahead of him, appearances were the last thing that concerned him.

“Here you are, sir.” Mike, who accompanied Ryoma as the carriage’s driver, opened the door for him.

Ryoma got off the carriage and stepped onto the ground, turning to face a row of servants who bowed their heads to greet him.

“““We welcome you, Baron Ryoma Mikoshiba.”””

They bowed in a single, fluid motion. A perfect welcome performed by servants of a noble house. And as if prompted by their words, two figures appeared in the estate’s door.

“Well met, Baron Mikoshiba!” said a man spreading his hands out in a welcoming gesture.

It was the master of this estate and the ruler of the citadel city of Epirus, Count Salzberg. He was over one hundred and eighty centimeters in height, and looked to be in his mid thirties. With him approaching midlife, his gut was starting to stick out. But perhaps owing to his role as the ruler of a border town, his stance and form were clearly those of a warrior.

I’ve heard the Salzberg house dates back to Rhoadseria’s founding, but apparently he’s not just some stupid, laid-back noble... Why is he being so cordial towards me, though? It’s giving me the creeps...

In terms of title, Salzberg was a count while Ryoma was a baron — he was two ranks above Ryoma. They were both nobles of Rhoadseria, true, but their positions were in no way equal. Ryoma was like an employee promoted to section manager, while Count Salzberg was like the superior to a branch manager.

This wasn’t Japan, where the class system was abolished. For better or worse, there was a clear, distinct hierarchy between the two of them. Ryoma was a vagabond who was promoted to noble status, while Count Salzberg was a noble of a famous house. Being welcomed so warmly struck Ryoma as exceptionally odd.

I should be cautious of this man...

Ryoma strained his consciousness. He did misjudge Queen Lupis’s intentions, so it would be only natural for him to exercise caution. Not that he intended to let it show on his face, of course. Ryoma smiled broadly and lowered his head respectfully, just like Laura and Sara taught him to act in the presence of other nobles.

“Please accept my humblest apologies for the sudden visit. I may be young, but I hope our future relations will be of mutual favor to each other, Count Salzberg.”

The outfit Ryoma was wearing that day was far from gaudy. He still had plenty of the money he got from killing Azoth the slave merchant, but considering the future he would need to save as much money as possible. With that in mind, insisting on ordering special clothes felt like a waste.

Nobles had their dignity and honor to consider, though. Ryoma felt it was a foolish thing to obsess over, but even he realized meeting a noble in his usual hemp black shirt and trousers would be unfitting. Getting into trouble over something as simple as not being dressed for the occasion wouldn’t do.

And so, Ryoma was dressed in a somewhat handsome outfit of a black silk shirt and pants, held up with a belt with a golden buckle. He also had a cloak which he wore outdoors, like now. But for a noble, it was the absolute minimum. He only maintained the least possible manners required.

Count Salzberg didn’t seem to look down on Ryoma for his appearance, though.

“No, no, I’m honored to have a hero of the rebel war visit my humble abode. House Salzberg is a family of warriors, and so I am proud to have you. I apologize that we haven’t much to greet you with, however. Your visit was a touch sudden, but we’ve prepared a fine dinner. You may find my hospitality somewhat lacking, but do enjoy whatever we may offer you.”

With that said, Count Salzberg took Ryoma’s hand and led him in.

“Your words are wasted on me... I’m greatly obliged.” Ryoma swiftly lowered his head.

“Now, now, raise your head and come on over. Allow me to introduce you to my wife. Go on, Yulia, introduce yourself,” Count Salzberg said, prompting the blooming young woman behind him to step forward.

She seemed to be edging into the age of thirty. Her braided hair was a shining shade of gold. She was about a meter and seventy centimeters tall, and had voluptuous, attractive limbs. Any man would have his heart stolen by her attractive appearance. She was a bewitching woman, indeed. Ryoma did not miss the intellectual glint in her eyes, though.

“Well met, Baron Mikoshiba. The journey from the capital must have been quite taxing. You may take your time and rest tonight in our estate. Right, beloved?”

Count Salzberg nodded magnanimously at Lady Yulia’s words.

“As my wife says, I hope this visit allows you to rest from your arduous journey. After all, once you enter Wortenia, there will be no villages or cities to rest in... You’ll have no choice but to bring in supplies from Epirus in the near future. This is in the name of our friendship as ones who rule over neighboring lands! And I hope it will be a longstanding friendship, at that.”

“Erm... I’ll gladly accept your invitation, then... I hope you will be able to guide me in my future duties.” Ryoma meekly lowered his head to the count.

Hmph... He read my intent already. From what he says, he’s willing to help me with the supplies... First order of business is to figure out his intentions.

Ryoma’s eyes glinted sharply.

“Now come along, Baron Mikoshiba. I’ve ordered my head cook to put together a special feast to welcome you,” Count Salzberg said. “Sadly, my land is much more of a backwater region compared to the capital, so we haven’t much in the way of local specialties. But it is a bountiful land, thankfully, so we do have plenty. Do relish it.”

Confirming that Ryoma had taken a seat, the count declared the beginning of the banquet. At his words, the doors swung open and maids walked in, pushing carts lined up with dishes.

“This is all very...”

Ryoma was taken aback by the many dishes being placed on the table. Chicken, beef, fish, and a whole roasted pig were served as the main dishes, surrounded with an abundance of salads, seafood, and vegetables. Cold fruit chilled by lumps of ice was served in gold cups, filling Ryoma’s nostrils with the pleasant, chilly scent of the fruits of the season.

Just the three of them were seated at a dinner table that had enough food to accommodate at least twenty people. And all of the dishes were delicacies that were by no means inferior to what Ryoma was served in Pireas during the feast celebrating the civil war’s end.

Just how much money was squandered on this feast? As the guest, Ryoma couldn’t help but ask himself that question with a hint of concern.

“No... I am somewhat beside myself with shame here,” Count Salzberg said, scratching his hair. “A guest from the capital might not know of this, but it is customary here to greet guests with more food than they can eat... I do not mind if you think of it as some foolish backwater custom and play along with me here.”

“No... I am simply surprised you’d hold such a feast for an upstart like myself. I’m quite grateful, Count Salzberg.”

“Ahaha! An upstart, you say! There’s no need for modesty, Baron Mikoshiba. Your exploits in the last war are varied and great. I hear Queen Lupis holds a great deal of trust in you... During the civil war, I couldn’t afford to leave this land because of the threat of an invasion from Xarooda.” Count Salzberg concluded his words with a hint of self-deprecation.

“I’m afraid that it’s you who is being too modest, Count Salzberg,” Ryoma replied with a forced smile. “I truly believe your protection of the north is what allowed the civil war to end without interference from another country.”

“Beloved, I do believe that’s enough chatter. Do you intend to have our guest eat a cold meal?” Yulia chided her husband.

“Oh! My apologies... Is Baron Mikoshiba’s glass empty? Have it filled at once!”

At the count’s order, red wine was poured into Ryoma’s glass.

“Now then... Let us raise a glass to the flourishing of House Mikoshiba! Cheers!”

Ryoma downed the glass. The first thing he felt was the rich aroma filling his mouth. It was soon accented by a slightly spicy, stimulating taste. After relishing the wine for two or three more seconds, the thick flavor of the wine washed over his taste buds. Finally, he felt the pleasing sensation of the wine slipping down his throat, as smooth and sleek as quality silk.

The grapes are amazing... This must be high-quality wine.

A high-schooler like Ryoma wouldn’t normally be very keen on the intricacies of wine, especially wine like this that was so far removed from the cheap bottles one could pick up at a convenience store. But owing to his grandfather’s uninhibited nature, Ryoma had tasted alcohol during his life in Japan, and drank it daily since coming to this world.

And from his experience, the wine the count served him was of the highest caliber obtainable. It was made of fine, hand-picked grapes and produced by the finest wine-makers. He was provided with fine wines during his stay in Pireas, and these were in no way inferior to that.

Between the cooking and the wine... What’s his angle? No, forget that, where does he even get all this luxury? Can plain riches really afford all this?

The same could be said for the dishes they were served. The ingredients were excellent, hand-picked and garnished with the finest spices. Even if he did want to welcome Ryoma warmly, it was far too extravagant for some upstart baron.

Is this really their idea of normal hospitality...?

Ryoma snuck a glance at Count Salzberg, who was happily eating away.

His outfit is pretty flashy, too... It’s got an elaborate design, and made of high-quality silk... His ornaments are incredible, too.

Ryoma wasn’t jealous of the man, but there was no denying that in terms of outfit he stood in stark contrast to him.

But oddly enough, there isn’t any vulgarity about him...

True to his status as a born noble, Count Salzberg wore ornaments graced with gemstones that showed off his position. His shirt’s buttons used pearls, and the brooch on his chest was designed in the form of an elaborate flower. But for how gaudy they all were, Salzberg somehow managed to make them appear natural.

Of course, in terms of sheer brilliance, the dress adorning the woman beside him, Yulia, far outmatched his outfit. It had a striking, novel design that covered her entire body, but still bared her cleavage. The white fabric harmonized well with her golden hair.

She had a small silver crown on her head, and her fingers were adorned with ruby and sapphire rings. A large diamond necklace hung from her neck. Overall, she gave the impression of a gemstone chiseled in the shape of a woman.

From a modern man’s perspective, it felt as if she was too decorated. But watching Lady Yulia smile warmly right in front of him gave Ryoma an impression of noble dignity and a jewel’s balanced beauty.

If nothing else, it doesn’t feel like they’re pretending... They’re used to this.

There were plenty of people out there who would put on airs so others wouldn’t look down on them. But most of those people weren’t able to properly maintain this facade, making it easy for others to tell they were acting. It was the difference between simply putting on the clothes of a noble and truly wearing them naturally.

But Count Salzberg and Lady Yulia didn’t give off the atmosphere that this was a facade. They seemed perfectly natural.

But if that’s true...

That raised the question of how Count Salzberg obtained and maintained all this luxury. Their outfits were truly high class and it was obvious with a glance that they must have cost a fortune. Their meals were a match for the capital’s feasts.

This... doesn’t make sense. Taxes alone aren’t enough to maintain this lifestyle. And if that’s the case...

Ryoma couldn’t say for certain. He didn’t have information yet, but if what he had in mind was true...

I guess it depends on what the others can dig up...

“Ooh. You don’t seem to have much of an appetite, Baron Mikoshiba. Does the food not suit your palate?” Count Salzberg asked Ryoma, who fell silent after sipping some wine.

“He must be exhausted from the long journey,” Lady Yulia remarked. “Does the meat have a bit too much oil...? Anne, give the baron some cold fruit. I’m sure he’ll like it.”

A maid placed a golden cup full of fruit in front of Ryoma.

“My apologies, I didn’t mean to worry you,” Ryoma said, bringing a cold orange from the cup into his mouth.

He was actually just contemplating things, but he didn’t feel inclined to correct Salzberg’s misunderstanding.

“You must really be tired...” Count Salzberg said. “I’ve heard you were a first-class warrior, Baron Mikoshiba, but it takes half a month even on horseback to reach Epirus from the capital. I suppose it stands to reason.”

“Beloved! You’re being rude... I’m sure having been made a noble so suddenly must be exhausting for him. Isn’t that right, baron?” Lady Yulia turned a considerate gaze at Ryoma.

“Yes... It’s all too sudden.” Ryoma said, picking a piece of beef from his plate and bringing it to his mouth. “I’ve lived as a commoner so far, so I’m honestly not all that sure how to handle ruling over a territory...”

“I see... But I hear you’re quite intelligent and blessed with wit,” Count Salzberg replied. “I will do anything in my power to be of assistance. Our ruling adjacent territories must be some sort of fate at play. I’m sure we’ll help each other in the future... Hmm? Is something wrong with your food?”

Count Salzberg suddenly eyed Ryoma suspiciously as he chewed on the meat.

“No... The salt is just a bit stronger than I imagined. Between the salt and the spices, it’s all so different from the weak flavors I know from the capital.”

The spices aside, salt was a fairly rare commodity on this Earth. Salt was fundamental for everyday life, but this world didn’t have any saltpans or rock salts to mine. Territories that were near the sea had a source of salt, but Count Salzberg shouldn’t have had any lands that fit that description. That meant he either managed to dig up some rock salt, or brought it in from another land.

“Ahaha. I suppose a man that’s grown too used to the capital’s blandness might feel that way.”

Ryoma then chose to cut to the heart of the matter. His objective was, of course, to shake Count Salzberg.

“I don’t believe any of the lands you govern is adjacent to the sea... Did you find a vein of rock salt? Or did you trade with the nearby territories for it?”

“No, actually...” Count Salzberg was about to answer Ryoma’s question with a smile, but...

“Yes, precisely... We’ve found a large vein of halite last year.” Lady Yulia cut into his words.

“Oh. That’s quite fortunate. I can’t say I’m not envious.” Ryoma accepted her words with a smile.

He had no intent of criticizing the couple here.

Salt, huh... This is something else I should look into... Ryoma thought to himself as he swallowed another mouthful of well-salted beef.

The dinner party ended rather uneventfully after three more hours, after which Ryoma and the count moved to a parlor. They talked over trivial matters and deepened their friendship. Count Salzberg opened a treasured bottle of wine, during which Lady Yulia also started participating in the conversation. The couple didn’t show any of the conceit Ryoma came to expect out of the nobility, and welcomed him warmly the entire time.

As night approached, Ryoma made to leave, upon which Count Salzberg insisted he spend the night at his estate. Ryoma obliged out of courtesy. As he was being led to his room by the maids, he couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

The furniture was all masterfully crafted, and the curtains and sheets were of course made of high-quality silk. The walls and shelves with paintings and vases left a striking impression even in Ryoma, who was detached from the arts. The room wasn’t unlike a high-class hotel’s suite room. It was a veritable mountain of treasure.

“Wonder if they’ll blame me for taking one of these,” Ryoma whispered as he cast himself into the large bed and reached for one of the vases on his bedside.

With how pressed he was for money when it came to developing his territory, being in this room was bad for Ryoma’s heart.

Guess this is proof of how strong his economy is... But when I looked into him in the capital, all I found is that these territories aren’t producing anything too noteworthy...

Something didn’t quite click about Count Salzberg and Lady Yulia’s attitude. On the surface, they seemed to be a kind, friendly couple, but Ryoma couldn’t help but feel like there was something behind the scenes with those two.

“Baron... May I come in?” a woman’s dainty voice suddenly called out from behind the room’s door.

“Yes... What is it? The door isn’t locked.”

“Thank you... sir.”

At Ryoma’s permission, the door opened and a maid walked into the room.

“Did the count tell you to do this?” Ryoma picked up on the situation the moment he saw the way the maid was dressed.

“Ah... Erm... The Lady told me to... Baron...”

The maid’s skin was hidden behind a white negligee, which was transparent enough to give a glimpse of the pink bra and panties beneath them. It was quite the sensual, seductive sight. But a glance at how her shoulders shivered and the way her expression seemed to be enduring something would make any man understand the meaning of her attire.

“Would it cause you trouble if I were to insist this isn’t necessary?” Ryoma asked.

The maid’s expression colored over with despair.

“Ah! Erm... I’m, uhh... Well... This would be my first time, but... Ah... I’ll do my best to... Erm... Am I... no good...?”

Perhaps the way he’d put it was a bit too forceful, because she earnestly insisted. Seeing her blushing face made it impossible to push her away.

“You’re fine... Come here.” Ryoma said as gently as possible, so as to not frighten her.

Of course, Ryoma wasn’t experienced with women. But turning timid here would harm his dignity.

“Yes...” The maid timidly took hold of his extended hand.

Hearing her delicate response, Ryoma pulled her body gently against his own. And as he did, a faint, floral aroma filled his nostrils. It wasn’t long before the room’s candles were blown out, and darkness fell over the room.

♱

While Ryoma Mikoshiba was enjoying a night of lovemaking in his room, in another part of the mansion, Count Salzberg and Lady Yulia were having a private conversation.

“My word... Perhaps we shouldn’t have been this welcoming,” Count Salzberg complained to his wife as he sipped tea. “Does that boy really have enough value to match all the extravagance we spent on him?”

The pleasant smile that was on his face during the dinner party and up to the moment he escorted Ryoma to his room was gone without a trace. His expression was filled with a noble’s arrogance and scorn towards the common rabble.

“Yes... Well, he apparently is bedding the maid, so I would say everything is going in our favor,” Lady Yulia said with a smile.

Count Salzberg directed a bitter glance at his wife.

“See, that’s what I’m displeased with! I’ve had my eye on that girl, and you throw her to that upstart?!”

It was perhaps natural for Count Salzberg to make his displeasure clear after having a maid he’d been pining for allotted to another man, but Lady Yulia shrugged away his complaints as if they were the most trivial thing imaginable.

“Does it really matter? We can get more maids than would last you a lifetime... And you’d get bored with her within the month, anyway.” There was a hint of exasperation and reproach to her words.

Count Salzberg’s lecherous skirt-chasing had been a constant source of concern for her.

“That’s besides the point! Even if I do get bored of her and cast her aside, I wouldn’t tolerate another man taking her! And I haven’t even laid hands on her yet... Blast! Women like her aren’t easy to find!”

With that said, Count Salzberg took another sip of tea, his feet absolutely shivering with anger. His irritation likely wouldn’t die down for a while.

“Fine... I’ll have my people look for another girl tomorrow.”

“I’m sure it goes without saying, but I’ve no need of used women!”

“Yes, yes, beloved, don’t worry... I’ll find a girl to your liking.” Restraining the desire to roll her eyes, Lady Yulia tried to placate the count.

I swear... Why must his sexual appetite be so obnoxious? There’s plenty of slaves and professional women he could call, but he keeps looking for inexperienced virgins... And after two or three times, he gets tired of them and sells them off to slavers...

Thinking of her husband’s preference for virgins made her gaze turn icy cold. If he were to have concubines for the sake of leaving heirs, she could accept that this was part of a noble’s duty. Count Salzberg only did this to sate his lust, however. He dragged in any young woman in arm’s reach, but never made them into his concubines. Even if they did conceive children, he never allowed them to give birth.

After a few weeks, a month at best, he would cast any girl aside. That was what always ended up happening. Even if this Earth was a world where the strong feasted upon the weak, few people acted out that rule as blatantly as this man.

He was the worst possible kind of husband one could have, and the worst possible person one could hope to associate with. But Count Salzberg never let those aspects of his personality rise to the surface.

I can’t afford to earn his ire now... No matter how absurd the things he says might be...

Lady Yulia had to sacrifice many things up to that day. Giving up at this point wasn’t an option.

“Hmph, fine... I’ve no interest in that commoner’s leftovers, anyway...” Apparently deciding he’d complained more than enough for the time being, Count Salzberg took a deep breath and sunk his body into the sofa. “Was it necessary to tell him about the mine, though? It wasn’t just to draw his interest, was it?”

His eyes, which were clouded over with carnal lust until now, glinted sharply. He may have been a despicable man, but he was a skilled ruler and commander. If he weren’t, he wouldn’t be able to govern over this border zone and hold Xarooda’s military aspirations in check.

“Hmm... I suppose that it wasn’t quite necessary... But I think it was really all the same. He wouldn’t blindly swallow anything we’d tell him... He wouldn’t deny our words, but he wouldn’t believe us, either. And if the matter of the salt drew his interest, he’d look into it on his own. In which case, hiding it would mean little. If anything, this might actually dissuade him from looking into it.”

Lady Yulia could tell Ryoma Mikoshiba wasn’t an ordinary man.

He’s a troublesome one... Throughout the dinner party, he’s been gathering information discreetly, so we wouldn’t notice.

She could pick up on that owing to her own skills as a shrewd merchant. Count Salzberg, however, scoffed at his wife’s appraisal of the man.

“Hmph... I doubt he’s that sharp. How would he even find out, anyway? He’s just a hired sword that performed well during the civil war. How would he look into where we get our salt? I hear the so-called retainers he has are the filthy mercenaries that worked with him during the civil war, and that he had them forcefully named knights. The only thing people like that are good for is war.”

From Count Salzberg’s perspective, Ryoma was just a well-built young man. At Lady Yulia’s advice, he welcomed him as lavishly as possible, but his innermost impression of Ryoma was utter disdain.

With his physique, he probably is a skilled warrior... But his face doesn’t strike me as all that intellectual.

He seemed upright and collected, but not at all bright. His amicable behavior seemed indicative of a weakness of character, while his gentle demeanor came across as lacking in resolve. Count Salzberg’s opinion on the young man was that aside from his body, he was entirely unacceptable.

“I agree that he didn’t come across as extremely intelligent, but there’s simply no possibility that could be true,” Lady Yulia said.

“Tch... Yes, I’ve heard the rumors...” Count Salzberg clicked his tongue audibly at his wife’s words. “Though who’s to say if they’re true. If you ask me, he just curried favor with Helena Steiner. After all, it’s been ten years since she was called the Ivory Goddess of War. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s started going senile.”

Lady Yulia laughed off this idea, though.

“Do you really believe Lady Helena would allow for that...? And true, she isn’t young anymore, but apparently her abilities haven’t fallen in the slightest. She even slew General Albrecht while he was trying to flee the border.”

“Hmph... I guess it’s all just speculation... And? You sent that girl to him, but did she fetch any information?” Count Salzberg spat out hatefully.

“She wouldn’t gain any information that quickly. Tonight she really is just making love to him... But tomorrow, I’ll ask him to take custody of her.”

Ryoma didn’t turn down the maid she sent to his room. He was either weak to women or simply did so out of consideration of her position. Whichever it was, they should have currently been in the middle of the act.

But well, he probably is just weak to a woman’s wiles... And most men leak information in the bedroom... I can’t see Ryoma Mikoshiba being cold to a woman he slept with, after all...

Lady Yulia turned a cynical glance in her husband’s direction. She was more capable of hiding her lusts than he was. And unaware of his wife’s thoughts, Count Salzberg finally started complaining about Queen Lupis.

“Good grief... To think I have to curry favor with a filthy commoner... It’s so irksome... It’s all because of that stupid princess... The damn symbol should have been put in her place and made into Albrecht’s second wife...”

Needless to say, those were dangerous words indeed. Should they be caught by the wrong ears, Count Salzberg could find himself and his entire family executed for them... Lady Yulia didn’t so much as furrow a brow at his comment, though.

“She’s not a stupid princess, beloved, but a stupid queen... She’s recently been coronated as Queen of Rhoadseria.”

It seemed Lady Yulia wasn’t keen on arguing against Queen Lupis being called stupid. As insolent as it was, both of them were in agreement on that point.

“And now she even gave the Wortenia Peninsula to someone else... She’s utterly blind to all our efforts, and had to go ahead and do this!”

“Come now, beloved, that’s enough grumbling...” Lady Yulia chided him, trying to quell his anger. “The only thing we can do now is keep an eye on that man and make sure he doesn’t do anything unnecessary...”

“You’re right... And should the worst case scenario come to pass...”

“I think you know full well what will happen then,” Lady Yulia replied. “The peninsula’s monsters are always hungry for new prey. And look at how large he is... I’m sure he’ll fill their stomachs.”

“Yes, yes. They’ll have plenty to chew on.” Count Salzberg regarded her words with a cold smile.

♱

“Aye, lad, I’ve heard you’ve had quite the night!” The middle-aged man sitting at the carriage’s driver seat raised his voice at Ryoma.

The other mercenaries recently took after Boltz’s example and started calling Ryoma “lad.” They’d fought alongside Ryoma in the Rhoadserian Civil War, and so they were already on friendly terms with him.

“You heard about that? Where from, Mike?”

Mike spoke to Ryoma as soon as he left the count’s estate. It was a short trip that only required going down Epirus’s main road to the estate. Perhaps because it was in the middle of town, the horses appeared somewhat bored, as they could only move at a slow pace.

“Aah, the servants were whispering about it... And I kept me ears peeled, is all!”

Ryoma cocked his head quizzically.

“Did Boltz tell you to do that?”

“Aye...” Mike answered while combing through his beard with his fingers. “When he told me to drive you here, he said that if you end up spending the night I should mingle with the servants and try to draw some information out of them.”

“Gotta hand it to Boltz... He doesn’t leave a single stone unturned.”

“Sure doesn’t. Sis is the stronger warrior, but she isn’t much for all the cloak and dagger... That’s where Boltz shines and covers for her!”

Mike was a middle-class mercenary among the Crimson Lions. He was of course skilled with a weapon, but also proficient at scouting and construction work. And despite his grim appearance, he was also sociable and friendly. He had a strong sense of duty and was tight-lipped, which made him perfect for intelligence work.

Apparently, he was given the task of driver and bodyguard for Ryoma during this visit, while also gathering information behind the scenes.

“Still, I didn’t think he’d be right and you’d end up spending the night... Though I said yes all the same.”

Ryoma met Mike’s words with a wry smile. He was indeed given a perfect welcome, but unfortunately, that didn’t mean it was necessarily a pleasant stay.

“Yeah, well... The food and drink were all the highest class possible. They must have given quite detailed instructions, because they kept putting out one plate after another. Honestly they treated me so nicely it felt disgusting, and I only ended up feeling all the more uncomfortable...”

“Same for me... Though they didn’t give me a woman. But the booze and food they gave me wasn’t something for a servant... The bedroom was luxurious, too.”

“You too, huh...?”

“Aye... It was eerie, honestly.”

Ryoma nodded at Mike’s words and closed his eyes in contemplation. They both felt the same thing.

“Why did they go so far?” Mike asked, looking at Ryoma’s silent face. “I mean, I’m not as smart as you or Boltz, but... I can only tell you what my gut is telling me. If you’re alright with that...”

After pausing for a moment, Mike spoke of his impressions.

“I think they either want to ask you for something, or drive you out of this land before you do something they don’t want you to do.”

“They want me to leave, but they don’t want to fight me... It’s possible.”

In that case, it was possible Queen Lupis was pulling the strings behind the scenes. Ryoma and his group would be a source of anxiety for her until they went into the Wortenia peninsula. She may well have ordered Count Salzberg to make sure they go in.

Whichever it is, I don’t have too many choices... No good... I need more information. I can’t make any judgments until I hear what Boltz and Gennou find...

“Can’t imagine them treating the damn carriage driver that nicely...”

“So they have an angle...” Ryoma muttered.

“Aye... Probably.” Mike nodded carefully.

The two fell into silence for a few moments.

“Uhh, by the way, Mike, could you keep what happened last night a secret from Laura and the others?”

Concluding that brooding over the matter now wouldn’t produce an answer, Ryoma elected to change the topic. There was no way of knowing what Count Salzberg’s intentions were at the moment, so for now he’d have to do whatever he could.

Which was, in this particular moment, making sure Mike kept his mouth shut.

At Ryoma’s question, Mike’s stiff expression melted into a smile.

“Aye, I figured you’d say that. If they hear about the fun you had last night... Just thinking about it makes me shiver! Those girls would go mental.”

Civilization wasn’t as developed in this world, and so sexual intercourse was one of the few sources of entertainment available, as it were. Ryoma had gone with the other mercenaries to pleasure districts before, of course. Thankfully, this world had nostrums that prevented sexual diseases, as well as medicine that prevented pregnancy when taken.

In that regard it was actually more developed than Ryoma’s world. This was one boon the monsters granted to this Earth. There probably wasn’t a world more suited for a group of men to go out on a night of pleasure.

The only problem was what came in the morning that followed that night.

“Hey, don’t even joke about that!” Ryoma found himself nervously raising his voice at the man. “I don’t even know why, but I can see them seriously getting mad at me!”

“I’ll be honest, lad, but that’s just how it goes. You’re aware of how they feel about you, aye?”

Mike spoke to his master, who was effectively young enough to be his son, giving him a piece of fatherly advice.

“Well... I guess...”

It truly went without Mike having to say it. The Malfist twins’ feelings were clear and evident.

“Then you probably understand that those two want you to take them as well. They want that from the bottom of their hearts.”

Ryoma saved them from the slave merchant soon after he was summoned to this world, and it had been nearly half a year since then. They’d always operated together, and so it was natural for romantic emotions to form. Ryoma was conscious of them as members of the opposite sex, too.

“I know that...”

Ryoma didn’t know if this was something to be thankful for, but this world didn’t forbid polygamy. Men were free to have as many wives as their personal fortune could finance. So with that in mind, he didn’t have to worry over having to pick one of the twins over the other. Except...

“You can’t cut away your attachment to Rearth?”

The Crimson Lion mercenaries were already aware of Ryoma’s circumstances. He told them when they met Gennou and the term “Hinomoto” came up.

“I suppose... I understand this already, at least in my head. But... I just can’t come to terms with it, or, well...” Mike’s question left Ryoma uncharacteristically noncommittal.

Ryoma’s reasonable mind had already realized he had no choice but to stay in this world, but his heart couldn’t accept it that easily. His friends and family were still back in Japan. Ryoma may have had a severe personality that showed no mercy to his foes, but he was still an ordinary man who lamented and agonized.

Sleeping with them would take... resolve. It would mean choosing to stay in this world with them...

He wasn’t as troubled when it came to bedding a prostitute. It was just a case of money solving a problem, as it often does. But the Malfist sisters displayed selfless affection for Ryoma. Would he be able to bring himself to go back to Japan after making love to them? No. He couldn’t bring himself to be that heartless.

“Well... You made us into knights and decided to develop this land. I think you’ve already made that choice,” Mike said.

“Yeah... I can’t go back after getting all of you mixed up in my mess...”

The gears of fate were already in motion. What would Lione and the others do if Ryoma were to suddenly go back to his world?

Even if I had a way back home, I...

He’d already come to his conclusions. He’d already steeled his resolve...

“Well, don’t worry, I’ll keep last night a secret from those two... But in exchange! Buy me a pint next time around, eh?” Mike said, his bearded face contorting into a smile.

“Sure thing... I’ll get you as many drinks as you want!”

Mike only changed the topic out of concern for Ryoma, and that wasn’t lost on him. The consideration warmed Ryoma’s heart.

It all depends on me, huh...

Jolted by the carriage as it rolled through Epirus’s streets, Ryoma sighed to himself.